Dillon DanielDILLON, Daniel Philip - (August 16th, 1925 - September 20th, 2020)

“The Life of The Dead Is Placed in The Memory of The Living”

It is with love in our hearts that we announce the passing of our father Daniel Philip Dillon on September 20, 2020, at the age of 95 years.

Dan is predeceased by his first wife Elizabeth (Betty) Joan Tabitha Greenley (died 1976); second wife Loretta Mayhew Cannon (died 2013), and eldest son Philip Dillon (died 1989).

Dan will be lovingly missed by his son Neil, daughter Kathy (Gord) and son Jack (Sylvia), as well as his many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, extended family and friends.

Born in 1925, in a small cabin in Maynooth, ON, his life as a child was typical of the times. The family lived on a farm and Dan learned very young the responsibilities of caring for a large family, he was the eldest of 16 children. 

School was in a one room schoolhouse where he made a nickel each week for going in early and starting a fire to heat up the classroom before everyone else arrived. He then started working at the age of 12 in logging camps to help support his family.

At age 20, he was living in Oshawa, ON and worked for the Beaton Dairy delivering milk. At the age of 21, he started his own business with his brother in Maynooth, ON as a truck hauler of logs and gravel.

At the age of 22, he moved west and worked as a farm hand. He eventually moved back to Maynooth, ON and worked again in the logging industry on his family’s land. At the age of 25 he decided to move to Oshawa and he was hired by Duplate Glass, where he worked for 30 years.

In 1951, he married Betty (Elizabeth Joan Tabitha Greenley) and had 4 children. While raising his family, Dan enjoyed camping on Mississippi Lake and in 1962 Dan and Betty bought a cottage on Kasshabog Lake, where they enjoyed many summers making memories with family and friends.

At the age of 31, Dan started Judo which turned into a lifelong passion. He was a champion Judoka that turned his passion to coaching, opening Dillon Judo Academy in 1971. Many Judoka became champions due to his coaching.

He had such a special touch with children that a local doctor would send his pediatric patients to Dillon Judo Academy so Dan could work with them. He would bring them out of their shells and build their confidence!

Betty passed on August 16, 1976 on Dan’s 51st birthday. A few years later, Dan met Loretta Mayhew Cannon at a barn dance in Maynooth, ON. They married in 1982 and continued to live in Maynooth. This brought together a very large blended family with many grandchildren who added much happiness to their lives. Eventually, Dan and Loretta settled in Peterborough, ON, where they lived happily for many years.

After Loretta’s passing in 2013, Dan remained there until he was 94 years old. Dan spent his last year in Fosterbrooke Long Term Care Home, in Newcastle, ON so he could be close to his family until he passed in his sleep on September 20, 2020 at the age of 95 years.  

“May the road rise up to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the rain fall softly on your fields, And until we meet again, May you keep safe in the gentle loving arms of God.”

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the usual funeral process will be reduced to Mass at St. Gertrude's Church in Oshawa on Thursday September 24th at 11:00am, followed by a private graveside burial.

If you wish to attend the funeral, please register at  ARMSTRONG FUNERAL HOME.  *Masks are required.

If desired, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society.

Online condolences may be left at  armstrongfh.ca

DurhamObituaries.com